Lughnasadh ceremony 2025

Celebrate the harvest season with the Corr Réisc Grove!

Sunday 3rd August 2025, 10:30 - 12:30 appr.

About Lughnasadh

"At Lughnasadh, we see the fields of corn being cut, and for some this is the true time of the festival. In the fields John Barleycorn, who laid with the Lady in the woods at Beltane, has grown old, and now stands bent and bearded with a crocked cane. He looks to the Sun as he has changed from green to gold, and he knows that his time has come. His life will feed the people, and it is this sacrifice that we honour at Lughnasadh" (from the OBOD website).

By August, the footsteps of the radiant Lugh will be heard across the fields of 'gazing grain' (to quote Emily Dickinson), made possible through the sacrifice of his mother, Taitiu: the first of our three harvests for the year, led by the corn king John Barleycorn, begins! Those of a warrior heart now test their prowess in series upon series of vigorous athletic games, prompting us all to follow their example and take pride in the fruition and ripeness of this year's achievements, thus far.

Meeting place

Meet us at:

Either

The 'Meeting Location' (in blue, above) at 10:30, outside the Cambridge Museum of Technology, facing the river. If you're new, you may wish to meet some friendly faces and any other newcomers before heading into the common itself;

OR

The 'Gathering Location' (in yellow, above) at 10:45/50 on Stourbridge Common itself where some setup for the ritual will have started.

Running late?

To join us if you are running late, walk straight into the Common with the river on your left, keep straight as you pass a children's playground to your right and as you enter the open fields down a wide dirt track, look to your left for a group of trees. Hopefully, you won't miss us!

First time with us?

If you have never attended or taken part in a pagan/druidic/OBOD ceremony, worry not! Our ceremonies are flexible, open to whatever you would like to contribute and are proudly inclusive of all identities. There are simple ceremony roles to have a go at, with pre-prepared lines to read out, but there is no obligation whatsoever to do so. Details of the roles will be sent out in advance of the ceremony. If you'd like to have an idea of what's involved, please get in touch with us.

Preparation for the day

All registered attendees will be sent a link to the ritual script booklet online as well as a preparation coversheet containing details of what to prepare/bring a week before the event. Key ritual items will be brought for the ceremony, though all are welcome to lay any personal items in the altar space we create.

Please do print your own booklet for the day, once you've registered and have received the ceremony pack nearer the date, especially if you have a speaking role in the ceremony or if you would like to read along with us. This is not essential as you are welcome to come and simply soak up the words and actions performed by others. As 'Herald' at each ceremony, I will lead the ceremony and ensure everything runs smoothly.

We are mindful of the weather and dress appropriately, bringing water, a hat, suntan cream, coat, warm layers and/or waterproofs, etc. Come rain or shine, hail or snow, we meet! We anticipate that the common will be dry underfoot and not waterlogged and boggy; waterproof footwear may not be essential.

After the ceremony

After the ceremony has finished, we will have a picnic within the grove so please bring some labelled food (please be clear on what allergens your contribution contains) to share. If you wish to bring your own food to eat, please feel encouraged to do so. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings are also very welcome.

Eisteddfod

In keeping with the practices of Welsh Druidry, we host a small eisteddfod after each ceremony, perhaps with some mead! This is a relaxing way to ground ourselves after working up energies in the rite and it gives us an opportunity to simply share social space with everyone.

'Eisteddfod' simply means 'to sit' in Welsh, or more accurately in this context, 'sitting and sharing together', to enjoy a festival of creativity. Those that wish to perform, talk or play for those gathered are warmly encouraged to do so and as bardistry forms such an integral part of practising Druidry, this is a great way to share your latest creative musings, on whatever journey you might be taking, with a very appreciative audience.

As the weather is expected to be clement, we will host our eisteddfod with our picnic.

Our grove song

Prior to Samhain 2024, a grove song was suggested by one of our members and together, we sang this tune: 'Follow the Heron' by Karine Polwart. Have a listen if you'd like to join us in singing this song once again.

Keeping in touch

The grove has an Instagram page (@corrreiscgrove) and a personal Whatsapp group that we are happy for you to join, once we have met you in person. Through both channels, we communicate our ritual events and other activities though Instagram allows us to connect with wider pagan/druidic/environmental ideas and issues whereas our Whatsapp group remains a decluttered space for simple sharing of pagan events, personal recommendations and thoughts on books, walks, films etc.

To register to attend this event and receive an online copy of the ritual 'script' booklet and prep sheet (when finalised), please email us by Thursday 31st July 2025.

Subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with this and future events and please do get in contact if you have any questions.

We look forward to seeing you for our first harvest celebration of the year,

Corr réisc Grove.

---